-beam-

yeah nah, I'm no fast or powerful cyclist.

but leverage is a great equaliser :)

a heavy cyclist is usually also a powerful cyclist

heh I am one of those things :)

Those track racers have very large chain rings. With a small ring you will have so much more mechanical advantage that a week cyclist can exert more force pulling the wheel forward. Especially a heavy cyclist just standing on the pedal. (But that is usually still enough for track ends that are in good shape.)

@Sam7919 aligning rear wheel with track ends is pretty easy. You get your rought chain tension, tighten the left nut a bit. Then set exactly the right chain tension on the right side and tighten the nut full down. Finally release the right nut a bit, adjust wheel for good tracking and alignment and tighten it again. Takes about 20s after the third time doing it.

Those chain tensioners on some bikes are more finicky though. I through them out on my bike because of that. Aligning with a QR takes a little more dexterity cause you close both sides at the same time.

I have a QR axle where I filed one side flat. By positioning the flat face forward or aft, I can change chain tension a bit. But that takes a little practice aligning right.

A heavy cyclist standing on a pedal in a low gear ration produces a lot of torque to spin the wheel around its axle. Does that also necessarily create to a translational force that would pull the axle forward?

(it's been so long since I've really thought about this kind of mechanics -- i do sediment and water)

@PaulH yes the chain force is there :)